Safety can



Swim. A117, 1935.. M. .L GORMAN ET A1. QME@ SAFETY CAN Filed NOV. 20, 1934 Patented Sept. 17, 1935 nir smi FTEN'E' OFFICE SAFETY CAN sachusetts Application November' 20, 1934, Serial No. 753,836

7 Claims.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a safety can adapted to contain gasoline or other inflammable liquid, and provided with an opening surrounded by a valve seat, a valve housing above the valve seat provided with a spout base, a vaive adapted to close the discharge opening and inserted in said housing, a spring also inserted in the housing and adapted to normally heid the valve closed on the seat, and valveopening means associated with the valve, the valve being retained in its operative position wholly by the spring and housing when the spring is in place, said opening means being adapted to cause a linn'ted opening of the valve suiiicien for pouring from the can, and a larger opening permitting the can to be lled through the valve seat.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

Of the accompanying drawing forming a part `of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side View showing a can embodying the invention in its pouring position, portions being s'hown in section.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure l, showing the can in its upright position.

Figure 3 is a perspective View.

Figure e is a View similar to a portion of Figure 2, showing the valve in position to permit the filling of the can.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

I2 designates the body, I3 the top of the can, and M an annular valve seat surrounding a pouring opening in the top I3. Said top is preferably f Y truste-conical.

I5 designates a valve housing fixed to the top i3 and including a closed head I6 and a funnelshaped spout base or section |59 projecting from one side of the housing. The opposite side of the housing is provided with an opening I'I for a purpose hereinafter stated.

I8 designates a valve formed to close the valve seat and having an arm i9 projecting through, and movable in, the opening II. The valve and arm constitute a lever which is fulcrumed on a portion of the valve seat so that the valve may be closed as shown by Figure 2, and opened as shown by Figure 1.

29 designates a spring interposed between the housing head I6 and the valve, and normally holding the valve closed on its seat.

The arm I9 is arranged to receive valve opening pressure, preferably imparted by the bail hereinafter described.

The opening I'I is narrower than the width or (Cl. 22d-15) diameter of the valve, and its margin is formed to prevent withdrawal of the valve through the opening when the spring is in place. The opening is preferably oblong, as shown by Figure 3, its margin being formed to permit withdrawal 'of the valve when the spring is removed, such removal permitting the valve to be turned from the position shown by Figures 2 and 3, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, so that it can pass through the longer diameter of the opening.

mbe valve and the housing head are provided with'studs 22 which engage opposite ends of the spring and constitute means for releasably securing the spring in the operative position shown. The may be removed by applying to it a compressing tool adapted to move its ends toward each other, and then withdrawing the spring through the opening II. The same tool may be employed to locate the spring in its operative position.

23 designates a substantially U-shaped bail whose ends are pivoted to ears 24) on the can breast at opposite sides of the housing I5, said bail having a striker 24 arranged to exert valveopening pressure on the arm I9 when the bail is moved to locate the can in the pouring position shown by Figure 1. The can breast is provided with a fixed stop 25, arranged to limit'movement of the arm by the striker.

The spout base, or section iti), is provided with a exible spout extension 25 detachably secured to said base, preferably by a tubular section 21 soldered or otherwise secured in the base, and having an external screw thread 28 on its outer portion, and an internally threaded sleeve 29 engaged with the thread of the section 21, and soldered or otherwise secured to the flexible extension 26. The extension 26 is preferably provided 'with an inflexible tubular section 30 at its outer end which may constitute the pouring nozzle. If, however, a reduced pouring nozzle is desired, this may be provided by a reducer composed of a compressible annular stopper 3 I, (Figure 1), which may be of cork, removably insertable in the section 39, and a tube 32 of smaller diameter inserted in, and held by, the stopper. To permit the storage of the reducer when it is not in use, the can is provided with a socket 33 in which the stopper 3l is removably inserted, the socket being formed to compress and frictionally engage the stopper so that the reducer is not liable to be accidentally removed from the socket. The reducer is not claimed herein, it being shown by patent to F. S. Blanchard, No. 1.657.120, dated October 9. 1928.

The valve bears separably on all portions of the valve seat, and the longer diameter of the opening Il extends vertically as shown by Figure 3, and is of suicient length to permit movement of the arm I9 to the position shown by Figure 4. This movement causes the valve to swing on a fulcrum portion of the valve seat opposite the fulcrum portion on which the valve swings when moved to the pouring position shown by Figure 1. The last mentioned movement of the valve is limited by the stop 25, and is sufcient only to permit proper pouring through the spout. The movement shown by Figure 4 is sufficient to permit the insertion in the valve seat ofa hose 35 used in filling the can. The valve and arm may be held in Figure 4 position by digits 36 of the operators hand, one of said digits bearing on the arm I 9, and the other on a projection or digit rest 3l on the housing.

It will be seen that when the valve is in Figure 2 position it may be slightly lifted bodily from its seat suiiiciently to relieve internal pressure in the can, the spring seating the valve when the pressure is relieved.

We prefer to assemble the valve and spring in the housing l5 before attaching the housing to the can breast.

We claim:

l. A safety can having a valve seat in its top, a valve housing xed to the can top and located above the valve seat, said housing including a closed head and a spout base projecting from one side of the housing, the opposite side of the housing having an opening, a Valve formed to close the valve seat and having an arm projecting through, and movable in, said opening, said valve and arm constituting a lever fulcrumed 0n a portion of the valve seat, and a spring interposed between the housing head and the valve, and normally holding the latter on its seat, said arm being arranged to receive valve opening pressure.

2. A safety can as specified by claim 1, the valve and head having means for releasably securing the spring in its operative position, said opening being narrower than the width of the valve and its margin being formed to prevent withdrawal of the valve through the opening when the spring is in place.

3. A safety can as speciiied by claim 1, the valve and head having means for releasably securing the spring in its operative position, said opening being oblong, and its margin being formed to prevent withdrawal of the valve through the opening when the spring is in place, and permit such withdrawal when the spring is removed.

4. A safety can having a. valve seat in its top, a valve housing fixed to the top and located above the valve seat, said housing including a closed head and a spout base projecting from one side of the housing, the opposite side of the housing having an opening, a valve formed to close the valve'seat and having an arm projecting through, and movable in, said opening, said valve and arm constituting a lever fulcrumed on a portion of the valve seat, a spring interposed between the housing head and the Valve, and normally holding the latter on its seat, said arm being arranged to receive valve opening pressure, and a bail pivoted to the can and having a striker arranged to exert valve opening pressure on said arm when the bail is moved to locate the can in pouring position.

5. A safety can having a valve seat in its top, a Valve housing Xed to the top and located above the valve seat, said housing including a closed head and a spout base projecting from one side of the housing, the opposite side of the housing having an opening, a valve formed to close the valve seat and having an arm projecting through, and movable in, said opening, said valve and arm constituting a lever fulcrumed on a portion of the valve seat, a spring interposed between the housing head and the valve and normally holding the latter on its seat, said arm being arranged to receive valve opening pressure, and a bail pivoted to the can and having a striker arranged to exert valve opening pressure on said arm when the bail is moved to locate the can in Y pouring position, the can top being provided with a fixed stop arranged to limit movement of the arm by the striker.

6. A safety can having a valve seat in its top, a valve housing fixed to and projecting above the top and valve seat, said housing including a head spaced above the valve seat, and a spout base projecting from one side of the housing, the opposite side of the housing having an opening, a valve formed to close the valve seat and bearing separaloly on all portions thereof, said valve having an arm projecting through and movable in said opening, said valve and arm constituting a lever fulcrumed on two opposite portions of the valve seat, and a spring interposed between the housing head and the valve and normally holding the latter on the seat, said opening being formed to pennit a limited bodily opening movement of the valve to relieve internal pressure, a limited movement of the valve on one of said fulcrum portions when the can is used for pouring through the valve seat, and a greater opening or" the valve on the other fulcrurn portion so that the can may be lled through the valve seat.

'7. A safety can as specied by claim 6, the housing provided with a digit rest located above the housing opening.

MEYER J. GORMAN. FORREST S. BLANCHARD. 

